Keyboards for musical instruments



Aug w 1965 D. J. WINCH 3,399,396

KEYBOARDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 29, 1964 lAPHIIIIHIIIIIIIIH" I `/l/{l/ I/ f ll5 ,l W @l i I2 222/22 Ih' In .H I5ATTORNEY sagesse rrnrnoanns non Musical. rNsrnUMnNrs nenne r. when, 25sw. aan si., New Yori, Nar. rites Api. 2a, i964, ser. No. 363,551 einem.(ci. st aza) This invention relates to a keyboard construction for amusical instrument such as an organ lor an accordion.

As is well understood, the operation of keys in such an instrumentuncovers reed slots so that tones are generated as air is forcedtherethrough.

The construction of a keyboard of the above type has fbeen complex andhas further often resulted in repair difficulties. With the foregoing inmind I have devis-ed a keyboard construction of extreme simplicity butwith posi-tive and ycontrolled action which is most reliable, and with aminimum of moving parts `so as to minimize later accidental displacementor the like. Further, my invention eliminates the necessity of providingspacers or guide rails between the keys. A fur-ther advantage of myconstruction is that the musical instrument can be made to be of verylight weight.

I achieve the above objectives by cementing all the keys, in properlyspaced relationship, on ya relatively thin, rubber mounting strip, themounting strip being disposed somewhat forwardly under each key so tha-tit makes possible a form of see-saw action, the hammer at the rear endof the key rising as the finger end is depressed, and the hammerbecoming automatically restored t-o slot closing position when pressureon the finger end is released.

Accordingly, by the simple expedient of cementing the keys to asufficiently wide yet thin rubber base, I secure the required actionwithout the necessity of employing any other return spring means or thelike, While nevertheless maintaining each key precisely in place withoutany additional holding or guiding devices.

It will k'also be observed hereinafter that I have simplified theconstruction `of the keys in that the white keys comprise straightstrips with no special configuration as is generally required inkeyboards.

The invention will be further understood from the following descriptionand drawings wherein;

FIGURE I is .a top lplan view, partly broken away, of the keyboard ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is ian enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the line2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 isa view .similar to FIGURE -2 but illustrating the key action;and

FEGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional View as taken substantiallyalong the lines i-d of FIGURE 1.

The keyboard is mounted on rigid supporting `structure Iii which may be`of wood or the like. Support structure yl@ will normally rest upon aconventional bellows or other air flow generating apparatus. Inaccordance therewith the structure il@ includes an elongated platform IIin which are formed the usual aligned reed slots I2. A number of reedsI5, for example representing a number of octaves, are mounted on theunderside of platform Il, all in conventional manner, such mounting notbeing included in this invention.

The keyboard of this invention is mounted on the supporting structureIii above the outlet of the reed slots I2. The top surface `of4structure Iii is provided with :an elongated sponge rubber strip I4,cemented across structure I@ from one side of the instrument to theother. The function of resilient sponge rubber strip I4 is mostimportant to this invention. It serves as a mounting and as a fulcrumfor the lever action of the keys as will hereinafter be made clear. Suchkeys, in one particular form, may be about 7 or almost to scale asrepresentanited States Patent O 3,199,396 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 ECCtive in .FIGURE 3 hereof. In such an embodiment, the width of strip 14was 1%, and its thickness G. Thus, the width of strip I4 was about 25percent of t-he length of the keys while its thickness was about 4percent of its width. As will be shown hereinafter, these dimensions areimportant to the required action.

The keys l5 are elongated and aligned side-by-side as usual, the number,of course, depending upon the number of reeds and octaves. Such keys maybe of wood or of any suitable plastic material. They -comprise narrowbodies approximately 5/32" wide, although this dimension is not ofimportance. Their mounting to rubber strip 14 is extremely simple yeteffective. I simply cement the underside of the keys, in properly spacedrelationship to the rubber strip I4. Any conventional type `of cement orglue may be used, I having found that what is cornmonly referred to asinstant, contact, rubber-type cement is suitable.

As will be observed in FIGURE 2, the keys are mounted on strip I4 sothat the strip I4 is not .precisely in the vcenter of the key but isoffset forwardly of such center. In other words, the rear, uncementedend `of the key is `longer than the front uncemented end by about 40percent. This provides an eicient leverage action as will be hereinafterexplained. As for the construction of the keys 15, it will be observedthat they are provided with a iat, widened metal base )i6 cementedthereto to effectively for-m a rear hammer end which normally closes theslots IZ. Further, a conventional chamois layer I7 is provided over thereed slot platform I-ll, the chamois having openings corresponding withthe slots I2, all as well understood, and to which I make no claim.

Successive keys I5, in proper order as is well understood, are providedwith a raised finger portion 2t), which may be integral with the key, asdesired. These raised iinger portion keys may be referred to as theblack keys. Between such black keys, the finger portions 2t) are omittedand in their .place is substituted a white plastic rectangular stripZita cemented `on a key at a lower level than finger portion 2t?, thesekeys constituting the white keys.

Side frames 21 are mounted at the respective side edges of supportstructure l@ and a hand supporting platform 22 which extends across theentire width of the instrument is mounted on the side frames ZI.Platform 22 may be of smooth plastic and its front edge 23 is turneddown .and rests upon the keys at about the center thereof, although thisparticular resting point is not of importance.

The players hands will rest upon platform 22 as illustrated in FIGURE 3while his fingers will press on the forward portions of the black keysor the White keys so as to uncover the reed slots.

The basic action of my keyboard is illustrated in FIG- URE 3. It will beobserved that as the player depresses the forward portion of key I5(shown in FIGURE 3 as a white key) the rubber strip I4 will becomecompressed at its front edge and will correspondingly tend to expand atits rear edge, although this action is somewhat minute and observableonly upon careful inspection. A front rubber strip 24 serves asacushion.

As the key I5 is depressed the rearwardly disposed reed slot IZ is ofcourse uncovered as is wel-l understood, so that air under pressure willflow through the reed slot, causing the reed I3 to vibrate and generatea desired tone. The sponge rubber strip I4 automatically functions as areturn device since it will tend to restore itself to the normaluncompressed or unexpanded position shown in FIGURE 2. Thus the key willreturn t-o a normally planar position where it overiies strip 14 in aparallel relationship.

The above yaction is very simple yet effective. The stated relativewidth of sponge rubber strip I4 is important in providing a controlleduncovering of the reed slo-ts as well as a precise return action. Allthis is accompiished by simply cementing the keys in spaced relationshipon the sponge rubber strip and without requiring any other apparatus,the keys and the rubber strip being thereby rendered substantiallyunitary for positive and controlled action without likelihood ofaccidental displacement.

A further advantage of the foregoing structure is that the white keystrips 2do have complet-ely straight sides tand can be very easilyproduced from continuous ,plastic strips Without requiring the indentedconiormations as generally found on the keyboards of accordions andpianos.

Thus the instrument as above described is of pronounced simplicity inmanufacture and operation while eing at least las effective as the morecomplex structures now in use.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is obviousthat numerous changes and omissions may be made therein withoutdeparting from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

l. In an air operated musical instrument having a series of reed slotswhich are normally covered, a keyboard therefor, said keyboardcomprising a series of elongated keys aligned side-by-side, and a datkey supporting strip disposed under said keys, said strip being ofresilient material, all of said keys being directly cemented to saidstrp so as to be substantially unitary therewith, said strip beingdisposed substantially forwardly of the center of each key so as tonormally urge and bias the forward end of said keys upwardly whereby therear end of said keys may function to normally cover said reed slots andwhereby downward manual pressure on said forward ends will serve 'touncover said slots.

2.. A musical instrument keyboard according to claim 1 and wherein saidstrip is of a width approximately 25 percent of .the length of saidkeys, said keys lying across said strip width with a greater part ofsaid strip width being forward of said key center.

3. A musical instrument keyboard according to claim 2. and wherein thethickness of said strip is approximately 4 percent of the width of saidstrip, the rear, uncemented end of each key being longer than the frontuncemented end thereof by approximately 40 percent, and a rigid supportfor the underside of said liet strip.

i. A musical instrument keyboard according to claim 3 and wherein eachof said keys comprises a narrow body the underside of which is `cementedto the top surface of said ilat strip, a raised iinger portion formed atthe top front end of .some of said keys, and flat, straight rectangularstrips connected to the rest .of said keys so that the eyboard presentssuccessive and adjoining raised ringer portion keys and flat rectangularstrip keys.

e'. A musical instrument keyboard comprising a series of elongated keysaligned side-by-side, a rey supporting strip disposed across saidkeyboard and under said ke ys, said strip being flat and of spongerubber, and all of said keys being cemented across the top surface ofsaid strip with the center line across the v idtii of said strip beingforward of the center line of the lenUth of each key whereby theresilience of said sponge rubber strip normally lbiases the forward endof said keys upwardly, a rigid support for the underside of said strip,said strip being of a width approximately 25 percent of the length ofeach key and the normal thickness of said strip being approximately 4percent of the width or" the strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 540,288 6/95Witherel 84-435 748,373 12/03` Hughes 84-433 2,353,890 7/44 Green 84-3302,466,511 4/49 Swanson 84-434 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN AIR OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A SERIES OF REED SLOTSWHICH ARE NORMALLY COVERED, A KEYBOARD THEREFOR, SAID KEYBOARDCOMPRISING A SERIES OF ELONGATED KEYS ALIGNED SIDE-BY-SIDE, AND A FLATKEY SUPPORTING STRIP DISPOSED UNDER SAID KEYS, SAID STRIP BEING OFRESILIENT MATERIAL, ALL OF SAID KEYS BEING DIRECTLY CEMENTED TO SAIDSTRIP SO AS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY UNITARY THEREWITH, SAID STRIP BEINGDISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY FORWARDLY OF THE CENTER OF EACH KEY SO AS TONORMALLY URGE AND BIAS THE FORWARD END OF SAID KEYS UPWARDLY WHEREBY THEREAR END OF SAID KEYS MAY FUNCTION TO NORMALLY COVER SAID REED SLOTS ANDWHEREBY DOWNWARD MANUAL PRESSURE ON SAID FORWARD ENDS WILL SERVE TOUNCOVER SAID SLOTS.